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Our Catl,olic Heritage in Texas
was much snow and ice, and because they had to abandon their ranches frequently for lack of adequate protection. These facts accounted for the large number of unbranded cattle and stock, many of which rightfully belonged to the ranchers and missions. If they were permitted to round up the cattle and stock found south and west of the Guadalupe River as proposed, the petitioners were willing to forego all claims to the not inconsiderable herds that strayed beyond this river. The commandant general made no reply to the request of Martinez Pacheco. 37 Late in November, Ugarte y Loyola sent the governor a copy of the royal decree of September 21, 1787, concerning the ownership of unbranded cattle in Texas. According to the terms, Governor Martinez Pacheco was instructed to declare formally that all unbranded cattle and stock found on the king's domain were the property of the crown. Citizens and missionaries were to be allowed a period of grace, four months from the time of publication of the decree, in which to claim and brand all such cattle and stock as they could round up. After the expiration of the grace period they were to advance no furtheF claims on any unbranded stock. 31 Martinez Pacheco hastened to remonstrate that the citizens of the Villa de San Fernando and the missions of San Antonio and La Bahia had solicited the recognition of their right to the unbranded cattle and stock found within the respective jurisdictions of their ranches and in the country to the east as far as the Guadalupe River, to the west as far as the Medina, and to the north as far as the hills. In lieu of this right. they were willing to forego their claims to any and all cattle and stock that had strayed or might in the future stray beyond these limits. The governor made bold to suspend the operation of the decree, pending the disposition of the request of the citizens and missionaries. He urged in his pleadings in their behalf that the four-month period allowed was too short. Lastly, he declared that serious difficulties would arise from the need of guarding and protecting the royal herds. There would be a continual temptation to hunt and brand wild cattle without paying the royal fee required.3 9 17 Rafael Martinez Pacheco to Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, October 14, 1787. Saltillo Arcliives, Vol. V, pp. 36-48. nc edula of September :z I, I 7 87. Summarized in letter of Ugarte y Loyola to Martinez Pacheco, December 1, 1787. Saltillo Archives, Vol. S, pp. 43-46. S9 Martinez Pacheco to Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, December 1, 1787. Saltillo Archives, Vol. 5, pp. 43-48.
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